WINONA LAKE - Winona Lake Town Council Tuesday heard concerns of the maintenance of an alley on 13th Street in the town.
Maria Beam, 1300 Chestnut St., said she and her husband purchased the house a year ago and they are concerned about an alley on 13th Street. She suggested the town maintain the alley.Beam said their door faces the 13th Street alley and they are blocked in by Chestnut Street, Sunday Lane and 13th Street.
They previously parked in an alley by their home because there was not enough parking on 13th Street.
She also said she was concerned with emergency vehicles getting down the alley. She suggested trees to be trimmed in the alley, power lines to be checked on to make sure they are not too low, and snow to be removed in the winter in the alley.
The town has an ordinance that states drivers are not allowed to park in the alley and Beam said she now is aware of the ordinance.
"We are asking the town to consider maintenance of the alley," Beam said.
She also said there is a no parking sign on their lawn that is 3-1/2 feet from their front door that she was wondering if it could be placed elsewhere.
Town Coordinator Craig Allebach suggested the couple put a stake in their lawn of where they would like the no parking sign to be.
He also said the town will look into the maintenance of the 13th Street alley.
In other business, Winona Councilwoman Sue Gooding said she and a friend were attacked by three pit bulls when they were walking on Winona Lake's Heritage Trail.
She said she called 911 and was able to escape the dogs, but is worried the dogs could cause future potential damage to those that use the trail.
The dogs had escaped from a home at the trail's entrance.
"I don't want to tell people what kind of dog or pet they can or can't have, but when we have a home sitting a few feet away from the trail, that is well-traveled, it is an accident waiting to happen," Gooding said.
The town has an ordinance that defines a vicious dog as a dog which has bitten or attempted to bite any person without undue provocation, or which attacks, or barks or growls at and acts as if it intended to attack or bite a person when not provoked.
The ordinance also states the owner of a dog within the corporate limits of the town is required to keep on a leash or restrain a dog from running at large within the corporate limits.
The penalty for violating the ordinance is $25. Allebach said the town will look into the issue.
Town Marshal Paul Schmitt suggested Gooding submit a written report of what happened and turn it into the Winona Lake Police Department.
The council also approved a request from Warsaw Community Development Corp. to increase the town's donation from $1,000 to $1,500 for the town's fireworks July 3. WCDC made the request due to the increase of the cost of fireworks.
The town also approved paying up to $20,000 for the paving of Argonne Road down to the viaduct.
The town approved asphalt bids for Phend & Brown and Niblock for general asphalt work in the town.
Upcoming events in the town include the Kosciusko Runners Association 5K and 10K through the town at 9 a.m. Saturday. Cones will be posted at Union Drive to advise drivers to slow down.
There will be live jazz in the Village at Winona Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. An art fair will be June 6-7, and the Friday Shop Hop will be June 12.
